History of high-velocity impact water trauma at Letterman Army Medical Center: a 54-year experience with the Golden Gate Bridge.

Three time frames were studied during the 54-year history of the Golden Gate Bridge from 1937 to 1991. During that period of time, there were 918 documented jumps from this majestic structure to the water 250 feet below. The last 15 years provided us with 297 consecutive patients, all brought to one institution, which were retrospectively reviewed and categorized as to site and type of injury for survivors and fatalities. This is the largest high-velocity water impact trauma series in the world. Certain unique characteristics of the Golden Gate Bridge and the San Francisco Bay lend itself to this extremely popular and successful form of suicide. These characteristics, as well as personal factors of free-fall water impact from each patient, are summarized and discussed in this paper.